Buying a new TV for Beginners

NOTE: you can skip to the bottom part for the actual tips that I enumerated

A LITTLE BACKSTORY

I had zero idea about modern TVs when I bought my first ever TV back in 2012 from Sights and Sounds (SnS) Shangri-La. It was the 40" Samsung EH5300. I just wanted a big screen TV for movies and gaming. It was a blind-buy without proper research. A feature that I was really looking for in at that time was the life-like motion that make videos seem like it's on live broadcast. So I asked the salesmen if the Samsung EH5300 had that feature and they all said yes. Trusting their words, I bought the TV without further questions.

LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE

I excitedly set up my new TV. In my head, I was thinking "Finally! I can experience what I've seen from display TVs in malls!"

But to my disappointment, all the videos I played on the TV did not give me that fluid, life-like motion. I found out later on that the feature I was looking for was called MOTION INTERPOLATION or what purists(a.k.a. haters) call SOAP OPERA EFFECT (SOE).

WHAT IS SOAP OPERA EFFECT

In simple terms, its an effect that makes movements in videos buttery smooth. In Filipino "para bang nanonood ka ng live". A lot of people hate SOE because they claim that it makes everything look cheap, especially movies because it's as if you're watching a b-roll or behind the scenes. In a way, it does take away some of the cinematic effect from movies. But it's a feature that can be toggled on or off.

BACK TO MY TV JOURNEY

I decided to take the Samsung EH5300 back to SnS and have it replaced with a TV that had Motion Interpolation. SnS allowed customers to return their TV sets and replace it with a different one if it did not satisfy them. This return/exchange policy is a rarity in the Philippines!

I exchanged the Samsung EH5300 for the LG LS5700.

The LG LS5700 from 2012 is still alive and kicking in my living room!

Finally, this was a TV that had Motion Interpolation. However, I quickly realized that it was lacking another feature that was a hot commodity at that time - 3D!

While I was happy with the LG LS5700, I couldn't stop thinking how immersive the movie experience would be with 3D. So I saved up, and this time, I finally planned to do research.

RESEARCH? THAT'S BORING, RIGHT?

Researching may be boring and cumbersome but it was an eye-opener for someone like me who had little knowledge about modern TVs. I watched several Youtube videos, read different TV reviews, and went through forums of TV enthusiasts just to find the right TV for my need and my budget.

We all want the facts to be fed to us in this era of "give it to me right away". However, there is a sense of fulfillment when you do your own research and actually learn and grasp ideas fully.

THE FINAL AND MOST IMPORTANT PART

It's time for you to go to a store and test the TVs yourself! At the end of the day, it is your personal preference that matters the most when making the decision.

When I did my TV testing, I made sure to bring media that would really highlight features I was looking for. In my case, back in 2013, in order to appreciate the quality of a 3D TV, a 3D Blu-Ray was necessary. So I brought some 3D Disney Blu-rays and the Life of Pi 3D Blu-ray to use for my tests.

My main TV from 2013 until now in 2018. Used as my PC Monitor as well.

Even though Sony and Samsung were at the top of the reviews during that year, I opted for the LG LA6900 because it was the best TV I tested with the budget that I had.

THINGS THAT I LEARNED (Too long;Didn't Read)

1. Do your own research. Keep reading reviews and watch Youtube videos about the different TV models from different brands.

2. Once you've done your research, never trust a salesman ever again. Be confident in what you know. Most salesmen will only tell you what they have been told in their product orientation seminars. They usually don't research more about their products. I guarantee - if you've done research, you know more than most of them.

3. Know your needs. Know the features that are necessary for your use case. These should be non-negotiable. If the TV you're considering doesn't have that feature, don't settle.

4. Demand to test the TVs. It is your right as a consumer to test the TVs to your satisfaction. Wag kang mahihiya lalo kung bibili ka naman talaga. Additionally, when you do test it, bring your best quality videos in your Portable External HDD. Bring different kinds of video formats to find out which TV can play the most kind of videos.

5. Learn about diminishing returns. This is a point where you see very little gain in features but the price is unreasonably higher. Ask yourself, is it worth it to add this big of an amount for so little gain?

6. Practice patience. DO NOT RUSH INTO BUYING A TV. Lalo dito sa Pilipinas na mahirap magpapalit ng mga produkto. Take your time, and use that time to save up even more for you to be able to afford a better TV than what you initially considered.

7. Search OLX for the TV model you are considering. Sellers there are legit and have the lowest prices you will find if you are paying with cash. They are usually connected with Anson's at Cash n' Carry.

Bonus:

The bigger the screen, the better. Yung akala mo na "masiyado na malaki 'to" ay hindi pala talaga malaki kapag nasa bahay na. Trust me.